


Glimpses into the INFOBARverse

by Elkian (SuperImposed)



Series: INFOBAR Lore [4]
Category: Original Work, Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drabble Collection, EXTREMELY SELF-INDULGENT AU, Gen, Other, Ships and Friendships, TBA - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-06 13:58:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18852469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperImposed/pseuds/Elkian
Summary: Drabbles of character interactions as I build up my "Optimus Prime is actually a cell phone" universe. Very self-indulgent.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some pre-war stuff!

"Wuh- did mid-grade go up _again?_ Why is it so frelling expensive?"

"Mid-grade is for the middle class," Ariel deadpanned, her own half-dram cube already tucked under one arm. She leaned against the side of the fuel vendor and watched Orion.

"This is ridiculous," the blue commformer muttered. He ran one hand down the back of his helm. He blew out a vent, shook his helm, and jumped up to slap his hand against a button. Getting the credit chip in was even _more_ fun.

The machine gave a little _beep!_ and a half-dram came clattering down. Orion dug in the deposit bin for the cube and grimaced as he shook it.

"Are they cutting _everything_ with the cheap dross these days?"

"Seems like." Ariel shifted, adjusting her cube. Her optics barely moved as Orion shoved his low-glowing fuel at her. "What."

"Trade ya," Orion said, tone breezy. Ariel gave him a significant look, but after a moment she shunted her cube into his hands and took the offered low-grade.

"You're too nice," she informed him.

"Ha! I can name about a dozen former employers who would _not_ agree with that," Orion said. He cracked open the cube and slugged back a swallow of crude energon. Ariel watched in amusement as he struggled not to actually grimace - or spit it out.

The headset actually patted his shoulder. "Too nice," she repeated, optics dancing. "Much too nice."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> more Ariel and Orion. v short

"Why do your questions never sound like questions?"

"Question marks cost extra."

"...what?"

"What."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tussle is a character I made for a joke for this AU who grew an entire personality and it turns out this is Transformers Femmeslash week(?) so here's a... more of a preview than anything I guess  
> i promise I will flesh her out later on

"Have you considered what you'd like to do after the war, Jazz?"

The spy looked at him, then away, then shrugged. Optimus sighed- and:

"I know what want to do after the war!"

"Yes, Tussle, you've said," Optimus' lips twitched behind the battlemask.

"I'm gonna get a **_super cute_** girlfriend!"

"Yes, Tussle, you've said."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> more tussle. MORE.

"Boss!"

Optimus is the only bot at the table who doesn't jump when Tussle charges forward, slamming a palm against the surface of the wartable so hard it shudders.

"Tussle-"

"There are _so many_ femmes here and they. Are. All. _So. **Hot.**_ "

Optimus looked down at the stunt flier. "And you'd like to show off how dedicated and diligent you can be, yes?"

Tussle's expression locked and then flickered as she visibly changed mental gears. "....YES. Yes, yes I do, Boss-bot help I need to look _even cooler_ than I already am."

\---

There was chanting. There was a lot of chanting.

"What's going on?"

The femme ahead of her turned around - Velocity. She grinned and pulled Nautica closer, to where the latter could almost see through the press of bodies. "That new femme from the Prime's Vanguard is super strong," the medic said-shouted, barely audible over the cross-clashing chants of "Chro-mi-a! Chro-mi-a!" and "TUSS-LE! TUSS-LE!", "and Chromia saw her waste a couple of Seekers and challenged her to a lift-off. As in lifting things, not flying. New girl can fly."

"What are they lifting!?" Nautica popped up on pede-tip, trying to crane over the tumultuous crowd.

"Us!"

"What!?"

Ahead of them, Rainbreak turned, her grin nearly incandescent. "You haven't met Tussle yet!?" she nigh-screamed. The Seeker pulled Nautica even further in, wingspan allowing for a little more space in the crowd. "C'mon!"

"Rainbreak!" A voice even louder than the crowd - and sounding suspiciously like one of the people shouting for 'Tussle' earlier - broke through. A midsize femme grinned up at them from where she lay on the bench. Chromia, next to her, balanced Windblade and another femme Nautica didn't know. "Good timing, 'mica!" The camo-print plane outright beamed at Nautica. "Hey sweetspark, wanna ride?"

"Uhhhhhhhh." Nautica's brain module blanked for a moment, so hard that she didn't realize what she'd said until the crowd egged her forward. "Oh! Okay then!"

Dropkick and Shatter grinned like Sharkticons at her, the latter climbing into Dropkick's lap before offering Nautica a hand. Nautica took it and wobblingly climbed onto the sheet of scrap metal next to them.

Wait, was this a piece of a _wall?_

Tussle, beneath them, laughed with pure delight. "Yeah! Let's get this party REALLY started!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tussle has approximately 1 tone of voice and is as strong as Brawn btw.
> 
> kinda slapped this together - i almost just ended this with a bit more for the table scene and then thankfully reconsidered
> 
> #LetTussleHaveACuteGF2019


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why does Tussle not exist in other universes? Well...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was using my imagination... and everything got **intense** \- Elkian, 2019 (help me)

"You know how I feel about this matter," Ratchet said, voice an uneasy balance of grumbling and icy. His arms had been crossed since the subject had been broached, and only tightened as the discussion continued.

Optimus Prime inclined his head and vented softly. "I know, old friend." His battlemask slipped open. Optimus laid a hand on his friend and former employer's shoulder, a sad smile touching his faceplates. "And I hereby give you, Ratchet, Chief Medical Officer of the Autobot forces, full and complete permission to declare me mentally incompetent, in the event that I attempt to commission living cannon fodder."

Ratchet's shoulders relaxed a micrometer. The medic shook his head. "Some days, I think you've changed a lot... and some, I don't." He uncrossed his arms to take the Prime's hand and shake it solidly. "I, Ratchet, Chief Medical Officer of the Autobot army, accept your offer and implicit order. And I will hold you to that."

* * *

"....deeply impressed with the results," Supreme Commander Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, was saying. Splicer, Head Scientist of the Customized Agents Initiative, nodded quicker than usual as they listened.

"Thank you, sir," Splicer [truncated for efficiency] responded. They pressed a hand to their chestplate. "It has performed admirabl..y..-" [Splicer] cut off. Optimus Prime [truncated for efficiency] looked at them in silence. [Splicer] said, with emphasis on the first syllable, " ** _E_** has performed admirably," [Optimus Prime] nodded, "and we're already planning for mass production."

"...and that will be _thoughtful_ production, yes?" [Optimus Prime] swung a hand, pointing it in Prototype 1's direction. "More of bots like this one, specialized and carefully constructed?"

[Splicer] did something seemingly pointless with their hands, taking .5 seconds longer to respond than previous. "The war has been getting more intense by the day, sir," they say, "Megatron has more and more troops at every turn... We thought you could use more support..."

"If you speak of drones, I will allow that," [Optimus Prime] said. He took a step towards [Splicer]. "I will not, and cannot, condone placing a spark - a _consciousness_ \- into any being created with the primary purpose of dying in battle. We will create people carefully, conscientiously, or not at all."

[Splicer]'s body slumped. "I understand, sir, it's just... Megatron is already doing so, and it's turning the tide of the war, is it not?"

"We are better than Megatron!" [Optimus Prime] said loudly. [Splicer] jumped. [Optimus Prime] paused, looking at [Splicer]. "We are better than Megatron. We are better than the Decepticons, and we are going to win this war while proving it." [Optimus Prime] held a hand out; [Splicer], after a short pause, took it. "For that, I will need your help. Are you with me?"

[Splicer] saluted imperfectly with their free hand. "Yes, sir!" They released [Optimus Prime]'s hand. "I can _definitely_ do better than those Deceptiscientists," they added, glancing at the lab.

"I truly believe you can." [Optimus Prime] nodded at [Splicer], who advanced towards the laboratory at speed. [Optimus Prime] then turned to Prototype 1 and held out his hand again.

Prototype 1 mimicked [Splicer]'s previous action. [Optimus Prime] squeezed Prototype 1's hand once.

"I will need your help, as well. Will you help me make a better future?"

Prototype 1 looked into Optimus Prime's optics.

"Yes. I will."

* * *

"Now here's a familiar spark," a warm voice said, nearby. Tussle looked up, faceplates splitting into a wide smile.

"Optimus Prime! Sir!" She flapped a snappy, open-palm salute to her helm.

Optimus Prime's battlemask was in place, but she didn't need it open to know he was smiling at her, too. He bent slightly and took her hand, looking her in the optics. "It is so good to see you again." His optics glimmered. "Ready to make a better world?"

Tussle squeezed back, brimming with glee. "The 'Cons don't stand a chance, sir."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: it occurs to me that the idea in my head did not become the idea on the page quiiiiiite as coherently as I thought whoops
> 
> the gist is that Optimus here demands a "quality over quantity" approach to the creation of MTOs. Tussle is one of those first. Or not, I may not keep that canon, but I like the idea.
> 
> Also regardless of her origin nobody expected Tussle to be _so strong_


End file.
